Service Pack Update.exe Prompts for Windows NT Workstation Compact Disc (178279)

SYMPTOMS

When run from a compact disc, Update.exe from Service Pack 4 and 5 will prompt for the Windows NT Workstation compact disc. It will not install the service pack.

CAUSE

The Update.inf file that determines what media is recognized during the installation is defined in the following section:

   [Source Media Descriptions]
   1 = "Windows NT Workstation CD-ROM" , TAGFILE = cdrom.w

The installation program is looking for the I386 directory or Cdrom.w directly off the root of the compact disc. If the I386 directory is renamed or it is created as a subdirectory on the drive, it will not recognize the compact disc as valid media and prompt for the Windows NT Workstation compact disc.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

Copy the I386 folder to the local hard disk or a network drive by using the following steps:

To copy to the local hard drive, at a command prompt change to the CD-ROM drive by typing the drive letter and pressing ENTER. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
xcopy I386 c

To copy to a network drive, substitute the mapped drive letter for drive C in the command listed above.
Copy the I386 directory to the local hard disk or network drive and run Update.exe from this location.
Burn the CD-ROM so that the I386 directory is on the root of the drive or place a file called Cdrom.w to the root of the drive.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 170261
TITLE : Cannot Reapply Service Pack 5 from November 1996 MSDN